The present invention generally pertains to fuel spillage control devices. Specifically, this invention pertains to an apparatus for retaining fuel within an enclosed chamber, the fuel emanating from the ventilation opening of a fuel tank.
Fuel storage units commonly employed for residential energy and heating needs include a fuel tank, a fill pipe, and a ventilation opening. To replenish the fuel in these fuel storage units, the nozzle of the filling device (a mobile fuel tanker truck or the like) is inserted into the fill pipe communicating with the fuel tank.
As the fuel tank of the fuel storage unit is filled, air is vented out of the fuel tank's vent opening. When the fuel tank is full and an automatic shut-off switch is present on the nozzle, the fuel will stop flowing out of the nozzle when the fuel fills the fuel fill pipe. However, prior to this automatic shut-off, fuel will flow out of the fuel receptacle's vent opening, thus polluting the environment.
If the nozzle of the filling device does not have an automatic shut-off switch, the fuel attendant shuts off fuel flow manually, often upon observation of the fuel flowing out of the fuel receptacle's vent opening and into the environment.
Fuel receptacles adapted to be attached to the ventilation openings of fuel tanks are generally known. However, these devices suffer from venting of fuel into the environment through their own vent openings, contamination of the fuel in the fuel tank due to dirt and water entering their vent openings, the inability to automatically return fuel in the device to the fuel tank for use, and the inability to separate contaminates from the fuel in the device prior to returning it to the fuel tank.